The New Karbala

Posters and other graphic media produced during the Iran-Iraq War collapsed the historical past with the present, as soldiers were depicted as martyrs of the Battle of Karbala (680 AD). The 7th-century battle symbolized the seminal act of martyrdom and the promise of salvation according to Shi’i beliefs.

By depicting the ongoing war alongside the Battle of Karbala, wartime graphic arts sponsored by various government ministries and organizations imagined Shi’i sacred history as unfolding in the present. In so doing, poster arts were fitted into a larger symbolic framework of salvation by verbally and visually presenting the Iran-Iraq War as an extension and vindication of the Battle of Karbala. As a consequence, soldiers were encouraged to sacrifice themselves on the battlefield, their martyrial acts heralding the promise of salvation in the afterlife.

Every Day is 'Ashura and Every Soil is Karbala, ca. 1981

This poster depicts Imam Husayn at the Battle of Karbala. Husayn's facial veil is indicative of his saintly status while also serving as a visual mechanism by which Iranians may insert themselves into his role at the Battle of Karbala. This interpretation is reinforced by the Arabic caption, stating that: "Every day is 'Ashura and Every Soil is Karbala." In emphasizing a battle scene, the poster utilizes the militaristic themes of 'Ashura to unite the war effort with Shi'i religious imagery. Moreover, by tying the historical Shi'i past to the present, the Islamic Republic employed Chalipa's painting to instruct Iranians to live everyday as if it were 'Ashura, thereby promoting self-sacrificial acts that would ultimately lead to salvation through martyrdom.

Blindfolded Soldier Shot at Gunpoint, ca. 1981

A blindfolded Iranian soldier is executed at point-blank range as Imam Husayn stands behind him, waiting to escort him into paradise. Next to the Imam are three headless figures—fellow martyrs that died alongside Husayn at the Battle of Karbala. The figure in the foreground holds a green Qur'an and points upwards with one hand, a gesture symbolic of witnessing or testifying to the unity of God. The strong contrast of the colors green and red carries deep symbolic meaning to Iranians, as red symbolizes the blood of Husayn and his fellow martyrs and green references both Muhammad and Husayn. The poster capitalizes on Iranian 'Ashura mourning rituals, which encourage soldiers to see themselves as following in the path of the Karbala martyrs.

Headless Imam Husayn with Dove, ca. 1981

In this poster the headless figure of Imam Husayn, clad in a white robe, stands at the head of a mass of red-robed, decapitated figures who represent the seventy-two martyrs of Karbala. The red figures eerily disappear into a blood red sea, perhaps serving as a reminder of the eternal mourning of Shi'i Muslims for the losses suffered on that fateful day. In contrast, Imam Husayn's white robes stand out as symbols of martyrdom, purity, and paradise, which awaits all future martyrs. A dove swoops across near the bottom of the image, reiterating the future peace and bliss that is given to all those who sacrificed themselves for the Islamic Republic.

Certitude of Belief (Yaqin), ca. 1981

This painting depicts the salvific power of martyrdom according to Iranian Shi'i beliefs. A dead soldier's body transforms into a tulip—the symbol of martyrdom in Iranian Shi'i iconography—as his mother cradles him in a posture reminiscent of Christian Pietà scenes. To the mother's right is a row of tulips, sprouting embryonic soldiers, and on her left, adult soldiers march towards the battlefields, willingly heading towards their deaths. Behind the mother sits a white-robed Imam Husayn on his white horse. In the background, rows of headless figures represent the martyrs of Karbala. The painting encapsulates the cycle of martyrdom that the Islamic Republic propagated during the war. Iranians are depicted as born for martyrdom and are promised heaven and eternal paradise if they follow in the footsteps of Imam Husayn, sacrificing themselves for Shi'i Islam and the Islamic Republic.

'Ashura: Victory of Blood Over the Sword, 1978

Middle Eastern Posters CollectionBox 2, Poster 54 Special Collections Research Center The University of Chicago Library

'Ashura is the day Imam Husayn and his supporters were martyred at the Battle of Karbala. Bleeding, disembodied hands fresh from the battle make several symbolic gestures, such as pointing an index finger to indicate the oneness of God and forming a "V" for victory. The poster presents the Shi'i symbolic belief that defiance and faith in God, even in death, will secure ultimate triumph.

Muharram: Victory of Blood Over the Sword, ca. 1970–1980s

The poster's title is a reference to the martyrdom of Imam Husayn and his male supporters during the Battle of Karbala. As their blood was shed on the battlefield, the droplets of blood "cracked" the sword, signifying their symbolic victory over persecution. Thus, the martyrs' sacrifice at Karbala is shown as triumphant even in death, a symbolic victory that is extended to Iranian soldiers who died in the Iran-Iraq War.

Red Supplication Calligraphy Ascending into Flag Banners, 1982

This poster displays the calligraphic arts as a subtle means to recall 'Ashura. The Shi'i supplications to Imam Husayn proclaimed at Karbala are written across the bottom part of the poster. The "lam" and "alif" letters stretch vertically into banner staffs. Banners of jewel-toned green, red, and gold gracefully wave across the black background, reminders of the banners carried by the Shi'is at the Battle of Karbala as well as by contemporary mourners during 'Ashura mourning processions. The image visually collapses the past and present through a continuity of ritual mourning, expressed here through calligraphic form.

Stoning of the Devils, ca. 1980s

In this poster, a pilgrim on his way to Mecca pelts stones at the manifestations of evil surrounding him. His white robes and the Ka'ba in his heart symbolize his spiritual purity. The surrounding figures include soldiers concealed by gas masks, a raven, and black-hooded warlocks. Their characters represent evil, while gold coins and money stand for material temptation of the pilgrim. This scene of resistance and perseverance parallels the Islamic Republic's self-image as it sought to present itself as a liberator against the world's imperial powers, reclaiming Islam from its corruptors.